What are some characteristics of a permanent marker?

Answer 1

Permanent markers generally write with high adhesion on nearly all surfaces, including paper, cloth, plastic, wood, metal, glass, and stone. They are usually waterproof and can be removed only with organic solvents, soap and water (on non-porous surfaces), or abrasion. Permanent marking inks commonly comprise one or more solvents, pigment or dye, a film-forming polymer, and one or more of the following: surfactants, humectants, biocidals, viscosity modifiers, adhesion promoters, and rheology modifiers. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 58046633 (http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5804633/claims.html). The really important parts are the pigment or dye and the film-forming polymer; the other parts exist solely to deliver these. Previously, markers used toluene or xylene as solvents; these are toxic, and have been phased out of the most common permanent markers (e.g., Sharpie, Lumnicolor), except in the "industrial" versions of their markers. Permanent markers generally write with high adhesion on nearly all surfaces, including paper, cloth, plastic, wood, metal, glass, and stone. They are usually waterproof and can be removed only with organic solvents, soap and water (on non-porous surfaces), or abrasion. Permanent marking inks commonly comprise one or more solvents, pigment or dye, a film-forming polymer, and one or more of the following: surfactants, humectants, biocidals, viscosity modifiers, adhesion promoters, and rheology modifiers. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 58046633 (http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5804633/claims.html). The really important parts are the pigment or dye and the film-forming polymer; the other parts exist solely to deliver these. Previously, markers used toluene or xylene as solvents; these are toxic, and have been phased out of the most common permanent markers (e.g., Sharpie, Lumnicolor), except in the "industrial" versions of their markers.